Germany is looking to produce one of the main missiles of the Patriot air defense system (PAC-3) in Europe. Boris Pistorius, the German Defense Minister, raised this issue on Wednesday during a session of the Bundestag Defense Committee and referred to the growing demand for these weapons in NATO and Ukraine.
High Demand for Patriot Missiles
Pistorius, in response to a question about establishing a PAC-3 production line in Germany, said: "This is our request." He also mentioned the PAC-2 GEM-T missiles and added that the production of Patriot systems might also be considered, but this requires decision-making. PAC-3 and PAC-2 GEM-T are interceptor missiles fired by Patriot air defense batteries to destroy threats.
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Defense Cooperation with the United States
This proposal from the Germans comes after Pistorius's visit to Washington last week, where he met with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and signed a statement to expand defense-industrial cooperation between the two countries. Pistorius stated that Berlin is ready to help increase demand for American weapons and transfer more production to Germany and other parts of Europe.
He said: "The idea is to respond to the enormous needs created for this and other American systems by establishing production lines in Europe and Germany." Any agreement in this regard requires approval from the U.S. government and agreements with the relevant companies, especially regarding access to sensitive information and American intellectual property.
Berlin's Expectations from the United States
Pistorius also raised Berlin's expectations from the United States regarding a review of Washington's military presence in Europe during this meeting. He stated that Germany expects to receive more information on this matter by the end of this year. This review addresses the deployment of U.S. forces and military capabilities worldwide.
Pistorius also noted that some capabilities may be relocated, but he warned that this relocation should not happen faster than the Europeans' ability to fill the gaps. He said: "We understand that some capabilities may be relocated, but there must be a roadmap."
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